Hidden Winch Mount Installation | Chief Products | WK2

[@blatherskyt]

Hey all, at 8:25, with regards to those bolts... here's how you do it. (just did it) 1) get to the point where you're going to put on the winch mount 2) support the winch mount with something (e.g., boards and a jack) 3) REMOVE ALL BOLTS, that's right... remove everything you just put in. Nothing should fall out, but if it does... it's easier to put back than put in that impossible bolt 4) now you have to match up the chassis, and the winch mount PERFECTLY... this is why you have to take out all bolts because it is quite impossible to make them match up perfectly with anything hindering its movement (you may find a clamp to keep the chassis mount and the winch mount together a useful option) 5) put in the bottom bolts (it will still take effort, but move the chassis and mount around, and you'll get it.) 6) now take care of the underside bolts used to install the chassis support plates... it requires everything to be lined up (you may need to take a thinner bolt to get things to line up and then put in the actual bolt) 7) put in the other bolts loosely 8) tighten everything up, done. Taking care of the hardest part first... makes it a lot easier. Those bolts are possible, but they require PERFECT alignment, and that's IMPOSSIBLE without free movement in every direction.

[@no_handle_required]

Dude, you saved my bacon. The Chief instructions were less than useless. Your video did the trick. I did have to retap those bolt holes you had trouble with but aside from that, this helped me do it right.

[@ProdigalOverland]

That’s great! Glad I could help. Have fun out there!

[@no_handle_required]

@@ProdigalOverland So I can't get the lower fascia back on, the cradle is preventing it from sitting flush where it mounts near the fairlead. I have cut all I want to cut and am just wondering if you put your original lower fascia back on and if so, what did you run into. Also, the ACC camera is sitting so far back the loewr fascia hole is open and empty instead of flush around the camera, did y ou find this too?

[@ancient3960]

@@no_handle_required Did you ever figure out the issue with your lower fascia? I'm running into that problem, too.

[@no_handle_required]

@@ancient3960 it does take some finesse and patience and a little adjusting but my setup is near factory now. I did have to cut my fascia for the fairlead but if you use the chief fairlead, yiu might not have to. Shoot me an email in private messge and ill share pics or whatever i can help with

[@ancient3960]

@@no_handle_required Thanks for the reply! I'm not sure how to reach you on here directly (I think they removed messaging a while ago) but maybe you can confirm one thing for me. In P.O.'s Splicer video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKjOl3l8hcSLaKs), you can see how his upper fascia sits on top the winch cradle. Is this how yours is? Mine hangs down at the fairlead bolt level.

[@LawDawg717]

I just installed a Rough Country winch mount. It seems a lot easier than what you went through.

[@abazdarhon]

Good Video thank you for share it. Any chance to show how did you connect electrics for winch as we owners of wk2 all know that the battery is in the cab. Thanks.

[@joshua7624]

Yes please

[@jeffgriff4369]

Thank you for all the videos. I just finished putting on all my Chief Products armor and it would not have

[@TroutWest]

Treat that forward collision/adaptive cruise lens like it's one of your kids... It's SUPER expensive to replace out of pocket, and you already modified the stock bumper that surrounds it so it would not be covered under warranty if you broke it. Those lenses can and do go out of calibration and will cost you a fortune to have re-done. Even if you never use it, it will throw a code and ding at you when you're driving. Mine went out of wack after off roading, fought like hell to have it fixed under maxcare, and they did do it. They said out of pocket it, would have approached $4000 to calibrate it, because it's an "Open ticket" and takes several tries and a special tech to do the job. The part itself is pretty pricey as well. I'm very conscious about it now when i"m off road.

[@ProdigalOverland]

Good tips! Thanks! It’s cradled pretty well in the acc guard. But I hadn’t even thought about how much it costs.

[@c.j.edwards3355]

I have the winch mount and a trailhawk but the air pump bracket is out of stock. Do you think It is optional? Could I rig something up?

[@TheCybercrash]

Great Tutorial. Thanks for making that video

[@ProdigalOverland]

Thank you!

[@boriska13]

Hi there. Which license plate flip bracket did you use?

[@hj7993]

Thanks for the video. From where you got the air suspension compressor guard?

[@ProdigalOverland]

Chief Products sells them

[@hj7993]

@@ProdigalOverland Does it come with Lower Front Guard?

[@ProdigalOverland]

@@hj7993 no, they are separate

[@hj7993]

@@ProdigalOverland Thanks

[@traveltyler]

Thanks for the video. I am also running a 2018 Trailhawk and I am about to start the install of the winch mount. This video was very helpful. Do you have a video/info on how you wired your winch to power?

[@ProdigalOverland]

Tha part wasn’t too bad. We just ran the wires to the positive and negative under the hood. That was an easy part.

[@brianrogers1907]

Where on the Chief Winch Mount can you put tow hooks?

[@qaanaaq]

Thanks for the video. I’m still debating to install this or not. It looks like the ACC camera is well protected but has more obstruction on its field of view. Have you experienced any changes in behavior when using the ACC?

[@no_handle_required]

Just saw your comment. As info, If you have any issues with the acc giving errors or whatnot, ake sure you put it as far forward as possible and run the harness in such a way as to not pinch or stretch it. Took me trial and error to get it right but now the acc is perfect

[@cksamy-vh9is]

It is possible to fit this winch in jeep compass 2023 model

[@Nilocsemliw]

I was just looking into buying one of these too

[@richardwrzesien361]

I ordered the winch mount, lower fascia mount, but the Chief Products WK2 Winch Mount Air Compressor for Jeep Grand Cherokee 2011-2020 is out of stock. Is this required if you have air suspension? Thoughts?

[@ProdigalOverland]

It’s good to have but not absolutely needed. It’s a lot of work to get to that area. So if you don’t put it on now. You probably never will.

[@jeepster0934]

I would of liked to see how you access the winch clutch handle for free spooling out line....I understand you "clocked" the handle but where do you access it from? Do you have to crawl under Jeep? to use?

[@ProdigalOverland]

If you want ch our latest video on the splicer you can see how I access it.

[@philbobaggins2183]

Is this compatible with a roller fairlead design?

[@benfastman7947]

Super helpful video! Do you leave the switch on the control box on or can you reach in and turn it off when you don't need power running to it?

[@ProdigalOverland]

I leave the switch on but the clutch disengaged. Just in case it decides to randomly start the motor.

[@benfastman7947]

@@ProdigalOverland thank you!

[@coreysw1212]

@@ProdigalOverland have you had any issues with parasitic battery drain due to the switch being left on? It doesn't say in the manual WHY you're supposed to leave the switch off when you're not using it, but I had guessed that was the reason. I'm about to install the same winch on my 19 limited, and was wondering about this

[@alexs.5675]

No more hooks?

[@jeffgriff4369]

...been as easy without your help! How/where do you run your winch control cable?

[@ProdigalOverland]

I have a wireless winch. So I didn’t have to worry about how to connect the control cable. I have the cable as a backup but haven’t needed it. I’m glad the installation went well!

[@M5verdriver]

Hey, thanks for the video. Do the instructions say anything about installing this on a WK2 EcoDiesel??

[@M5verdriver]

I really like the detailed video you made.. another question, what would be the ultimate best winch for this Jeep, without looking at the price?

[@ProdigalOverland]

I don’t think the diesel would make any difference. But you could email them to make sure.

[@ProdigalOverland]

If you don’t care about price. The warn zeon 10-s Platinum is about as top of the line as you can get.

[@joshua7624]

Where did you connect the POS and NEG leads for power the hood terminals?

[@ProdigalOverland]

Yes to the hood terminals.

[@paulmcarroll59]

Brad, did you ever get any feedback from Chief Products about why those 2 bolts don't/ didn't line up, during your hidden winch mount? I'll be doing ours in about 3 weeks..

[@ProdigalOverland]

No, They just said to keep everything super loose. It could have been my frame. I tend to take it out off road frequently. I'm sure not everything is as it should be.

[@lausl]

Love you channel and content! Have a TH like yours and considering the same product. Two questions 1. Have u relocated the winch control box or plan to rely on the wireless capability only 2. Did u need to do any trimming to the bumper cover? Looking fwd to see the winch in action...

[@ProdigalOverland]

Thank you! I didn’t relocate the control box. I’m hoping to just be able to rely on the wireless function. However if that fails I could probably just pop off the two plastic rivets under the hood run the wire down. I looked at mounting the control box under the hood but didn’t see any easy places to fit it. 2. I actually didn’t need to cut anything. But that was only because I had already thrown out the lower fascia. When I had originally installed the lower front guard kit. I didn’t want to have to keep putting the fascia back on and off. If you plan to keep using the OEM fascia you would have to trim it a little. But I don’t think it would be bad.

[@Joe-hx1bo]

Hey brad, I just got the same winch with the Chief mount. I was wondering how you power it on and off since the whole thing is hidden? Do I need the lower front guard from chief and the lower bumper off in order to access the switch?

[@ProdigalOverland]

I leave it switched on. And use the remote. Haven't had any issues with it so far. Often I leave it in free spool incase it decides to turn start turning.

[@Joe-hx1bo]

@@ProdigalOverland awesome thanks for the response. Has the wireless function failed on you at all? I’m worried about not being able to access the port if it fails when I need it

[@ProdigalOverland]

It hasn’t. I did buy spare batteries for the controller. Just in case a battery died on the trail. It’s an odd size.

[@tgvaillancourt]

What about the tow hooks? If you have to do a double line pull your going to miss those

[@ProdigalOverland]

I know. Should have plenty of capacity on the winch. The OEM tow hooks don’t integrate with the lower front guard kit. And I’m not in a place to spend the extra cash 💰 for the chief products recovery hooks. At this point

[@schuey5537]

at ARB if a bolt wouldnt run in right youd just send it with the air ratchet lol

[@Thaz72398]

how easy is it to operate the free wheel lever ?

[@ProdigalOverland]

Super easy

[@jeremyschmitz5954]

Hi, I did a similar hidden winch installation with the chief products mount, it when I restarted the car and the winch was working correctly, my rear back up camera isn’t engaging. Any ideas from your installation on anything you need to do to get that rear camera up and running? Thanks in advance for any insights.

[@ProdigalOverland]

I didn’t have any issues like this. I just wired mine to the terminals under the hood. Have you gone into the settings area in your u connect to see if something got switched off?

[@reloadingish]

How did you go about cutting your bumper cover? I have been looking at doing this to mine but concerned about messing it up.

[@ProdigalOverland]

I was worried as well, but since I got rid of the OEM lower fascia I didn't have to cut anything. Even so, it wouldn't be bad to trim things if you had too.

[@Nickq3435]

Can you still put on/take-off the lower air dam after the install?

[@ProdigalOverland]

Yes. For sure

[@danielschmidt7153]

How do you access the free spool? I just installed mine and can't get to it

[@ProdigalOverland]

I clocked the winch first. Sot the lever is accessed underneath. I show it in the video I believe

[@danielschmidt7153]

@@ProdigalOverland yeah, I think for mine I have to remove the lower fascia, I don't have the chief hidden winch I have the rough country one, but I remove the lower fascia anyway when I go on trails, less plastic to lose

[@raleighschickel341]

What exactly did you do with the license plate mount?

[@ProdigalOverland]

I just rotated it 180 degrees and screwed it back in the same holes

[@quincybirwood2629]

Facia is pronounced face-she-uh. Pet peeve mine. Otherwise good tips. Thanks for posting.